Hasso Plattner d-school Afrika at UCT

Hasso Plattner d-school Afrika at UCT The d-school was founded in Cape Town in August 2015 with funding, IP, and academic support from Prof.

The Hasso Plattner d-school Afrika at the University of Cape Town is a place where creative intelligence is unlocked, and where future-ready leaders are developed. The Hasso Plattner Institute of Design Thinking Afrika at the University of Cape Town (Hasso Plattner d-school Afrika or d-school Afrika) is the only dedicated academic institution in the region that offers academic training and capacit

ation in design thinking to university scholars and professionals in the public and private sectors. Dr. Hasso Plattner - co-founder of a software company, SAP AG, and chairman of its Supervisory Board - and the Hasso Plattner Trust. Professor Plattner initiated and funded the first academic programmes in design thinking. The establishment of the HPI Schools of Design Thinking of Stanford in the US in 2005, and at Potsdam in Germany in 2007, brought academic rigor to design-led innovation practice and made training programmes in design thinking available to academic scholars and leaders in the private and public sectors. Students from all disciplines and industry and government executives come together at the d-school to learn to work collaboratively in diverse and inclusive multi-disciplinary teams on real-world challenges and to develop human-centred innovative solutions.

Reflecting back as we jump into Week 4, the energy from last week’s field trip is still carrying us forward! In Week 3, ...
31/08/2026

Reflecting back as we jump into Week 4, the energy from last week’s field trip is still carrying us forward!

In Week 3, our Foundation Programme In Design Thinking cohort stepped out into the community with a trip to Khayelitsha to visit KisimaRadio
 
Looking back, getting on the ground was a game-changer for our participants. It allowed them to dive deeper into human-centred problem-solving, hands-on experimentation, and multidisciplinary teamwork—challenging their assumptions and bringing home fresh perspectives that are directly shaping their work this week. 
 
Follow along as we take these insights into the next phase of the journey! 
 

Great products, services, and processes start with understanding people! We are thrilled to announce that d-school Afri...
29/08/2026

Great products, services, and processes start with understanding people!

We are thrilled to announce that d-school Afrika is partnering with Lean Institute Africa for the Lean Africa Summit 2026. The summit is taking place in Cape Town from 19–22 October 2026 at the UCT Graduate School of Business.

As part of this exciting collaboration, we will be hosting a highly interactive Design Thinking Masterclass on 20 October 2026. Whether you are redesigning services, improving operations, or developing new products, this workshop will give you practical frameworks to create solutions that deliver meaningful value.

Join us and learn how to combine Lean improvement with customer-focused innovation.

Secure your spot today: https://www.lean.org.za/product/design-thinking-masterclass/

The Afrikan Design Thinking Convening 2026 brought together educators, practitioners, leaders, and emerging voices from ...
26/08/2026

The Afrikan Design Thinking Convening 2026 brought together educators, practitioners, leaders, and emerging voices from across the globe to reflect on a decade of contextually rooted, human-centred innovation at dschool Afrika.
 
Through rich dialogues, shared learning, and the launch of the Afrikan Chapter of the Global Design Thinking Alliance (GDTA), we explored what design practice demands next in our contexts.

The conversation doesn’t end here! A comprehensive post-convening report capturing key insights, reflections, and strategic themes from the gathering is currently pending release. Stay tuned to our channels for updates on when it will be published. 

🔗 Explore 10 years of d-school Afrika!
Discover the journey, milestones and impact on our Celebrating 10 Years webpage — link in bio.

24/08/2026

We’re officially in Week 3 of our Foundation Programme in Design Thinking!

With two weeks of collaboration, experimentation and getting comfortable with the Design Thinking mindset behind us, our cohort is now building on those foundations and diving deeper into the process.

From challenging assumptions to exploring new perspectives, every session is another opportunity to think differently, work together and tackle real-world challenges.

And we’re only getting started. Stay tuned as we follow their journey through the Foundation Programme!

Looking for a quick, fun way to spark your startup mindset? Celebrate UCT’s Student Entrepreneurship Week (SEW) with us ...
24/08/2026

Looking for a quick, fun way to spark your startup mindset?

Celebrate UCT’s Student Entrepreneurship Week (SEW) with us at the Design Thinking Dash! This concise, high-energy session is the perfect place to build your creative confidence. We will show you how to blend entrepreneurial skills with human-centred design to tackle real-world challenges and develop fresh business ideas.

The best part? This experience is offered at no cost.

📅 Date: 31 August 2026
⏰ Time: 14:00 - 16:00
📍 Venue: The Hasso Plattner d-school Afrika

Click the link below to sign up and secure your spot today!
🔗 https://wkf.ms/4bLAtp9

UCT students, are you ready to spark your startup mindset? Student Entrepreneurship Week (SEW) is back, and we are hosti...
18/08/2026

UCT students, are you ready to spark your startup mindset?

Student Entrepreneurship Week (SEW) is back, and we are hosting a Design Thinking Dash right here at the d-school! This fast, fun, and concise session will give you a practical understanding of how design thinking can be implemented. Come learn how to observe, ideate, and prototype to tackle real-world challenges.

Here is what you need to know:
📅 31 August 2026
⏰ 14:00 - 16:00
📍 The Hasso Plattner d-school Afrika

Sign up today: UCT students, are you ready to spark your startup mindset? 💡

Student Entrepreneurship Week (SEW) is back, and we are hosting a Design Thinking Dash right here at the d-school! This fast, fun, and concise session will give you a practical understanding of how design thinking can be implemented. Come learn how to observe, ideate, and prototype to tackle real-world challenges.

Here is what you need to know:
📅 31 August 2026
⏰ 14:00 - 16:00
📍 The Hasso Plattner d-school Afrika

Sign up today: https://wkf.ms/4bLAtp9

Tag a friend in the comments who should join you!

A quick look back at Week 1 of our Foundation Programme in Design Thinking! Less lecturing, more hands-on work. The firs...
17/08/2026

A quick look back at Week 1 of our Foundation Programme in Design Thinking!
 
Less lecturing, more hands-on work. The first week was all about jumping straight into dynamic teamwork, getting comfortable in the space, and shifting how we approach big challenges.
 
Our cohort is in the building every Tuesday and Thursday—and with Week 1 officially down, we’ve got 8 more weeks of intense collaboration and real-world problem-solving ahead!
 
If you’ve ever been through a d-school programme, drop a 💡 in the comments with your best advice for the journey ahead! 👇
 

This is what three days look like.A real cohort, mid-work, at the d-school Afrika, UCT. Applications for the next round ...
04/08/2026

This is what three days look like.

A real cohort, mid-work, at the d-school Afrika, UCT. Applications for the next round of Design Thinking in Practice close tomorrow, 5 August — the programme runs 11 to 13 August.

If you want to be in the next set of photos, this is your last day to apply: https://wkf.ms/3Qy0xwp

03/08/2026

Applications close this Wednesday, 5 August — here's what's waiting on the other side of that deadline.

Design Thinking in Practice isn't a lecture series. Over three days at the d-school Afrika, UCT, you work on real challenges with practitioner coaches, learn to frame the problem that actually matters, and test ideas before they get expensive. You leave with a way of working, not just a certificate — plus three follow-up coaching sessions to help it stick.

Three days (11–13 August) that change how you approach the next three years of them.

Apply before Wednesday: https://wkf.ms/3Qy0xwp

29/07/2026

Ever wondered what actually happens on Design Thinking in Practice?

We asked our programme lead to explain it properly, and filmed it alongside our May cohort while they were in the thick of the work. So instead of us saying it's hands-on, you can watch a real group doing it, and hear what they took from it in their own words.

It's a cleare picture we can give you of what three days at the d-school Afrika, UCT actually feels like.

The next cohort runs 11–13 August, and applications close 5 August.

Watch, then apply here: https://wkf.ms/3Qy0xwp

Address

HPI D-school Building, Corner Cross Campus & Woolsack Drive, Rondebosch, UCT Middle Campus
Cape Town
8005

Telephone

+27216503897

Website

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